"I think they would better suit you than me.  I might consider that armor if it was quieter than mine..." with that he moves his arm as if flexing his bicep and a distinct and noticeable creaking squeak can be heard. "Sure it protects me but what good is it when I'm trying to be quiet?"  We'd still have to check with the others but I have no objections to you keeping them.  Even then, I'd almost want to get a new sword although I heard in town that you can enchant a weapon to improve its quality perhaps that might be something I might do with my share.  I'm not sure if it was the Dragon's strong hide or my blade that caused my not to harm it?  I wonder if in the darkness I just missed the mark?"

"Skinning the dragon was something I had considered doing before but didn't want to leave a bloodtrail afterall it is very messy.  I can take care of stripping it down as you've asked although I think it will be a bit of a challenge to drain it of its blood but will do my best.  the meat might be quite succulent indeed!  It was quite powerful and perhaps its legs might be quite good with some herbs and roasted slowly.  I hope though that the head and its claws won't be a problem for us to still divide without causing a problem with your research?"

He looked to Dayereth awaiting his response and then continued on, "As for the dagger, I think it might be of use in a fight but using such a short weapon with one of my own would unbalance me to be sure.  I think I might be able to get used to it but there is another matter."  he paused and looked quite concerned for a moment, as much as a Dragonborn could appear.  "I might not understand how it truly works but it seems to drain the life force of a being.  I'm not sure how I feel about doing that to another creature even one who is my enemy.  When I battled even those Giant Centipedes, I sought to kill them quickly.  I understand it might help in battle but will have to speak think on this and consult Bahamut before I decide.  As I said, the armor if it fits, will suffice.  I'll only take the dagger if someone else can make better use of the armor.  My leather armor protects me well enough and I am used to it, so for now, decide on the rest of the items, I can choose from what's left."

"Actually, let me see that dagger for a moment."  he takes it and deftly spins it in his hand and then swaps between hands checking its balance and weight.  Spinning it several times from end to end, he flips it several times, catching it by it's hilt in the flat of his palm with his hand extended. 

"It is well made, that's for sure.  I'll use it on the deer and see how well it performs.  Now where can we do this?  This is going to be very messy!

The rooms in this inn are a bit nicer than the first one they stayed in, including a large common room with six rooms branching off from the main.  It was odd seeing an actual black dragon sitting on the floor of the room.  Looking to Dayereth who just walked into the room, Nadarresh offered him his wineskin and said, "Here you go, I'm not sure if this makes a difference but it's yours!"

Realizing how confusing it sounded, he clarified, "This is the Dragon's Blood!  I saved some from the kill and wanted to tell you to drink it.  It's hunter tradition to drink it's blood and some I have heard even eat the creatures heart.  I wanted to make sure you drank the spirit of it so you would be its master.  Or you could just use it for your studies..."  he says shrugging.

Smiling, Nadarresh nods and caps the wineskin and hands it back to Dayereth.  Seeing the look on the wizards face he says, "I never liked the taste either!  I have only tasted the blood twice, on my first kill with my father and brother and this blood but that will be enough for me!"

"You did not have to drink it but I am glad that you did.  It is a tradition among native hunters to honor the spirits of the forrest.  I even had my friend Kestik, that surly dwarf and leader of my caravan."  he says seeing the puzzlement on Dayereth's face.  "He drank on his first deer as well.  My brother Kell and I took him along one time as he said he'd never hunted before.  We thought he was joking with us but considering how poorly he shot that day, we believed him immediately after that!"

"Those dwarves never cease to amaze me but he almost lost his breakfast after drinking it.  Imagine that, living in the harsh caves and mountains of the world, tough enough to fell a Giant and almost getting sick from a cup full of deer blood?" he said laughing.

"You did well!  now let's see about getting this done right."

After listening to Aerandis' recounting of Narisella's request, Dayereth agrees that if they are to completely eradicate the evil which they first encountered with the wolves.

"However", he says, "I would still like to know more about what it is that we face before we go running headlong through a magical porthole to who-knows-where.  Narisella made an oblique reference to the crows concealing 'other things'.  I believe at least one of the 'other things' was the imp which I chased, because I witnessed it change from a humanoid form to a crow and back again.  I want to take some time to try and research imps and the means by which they enter this plane, for they are not native to it, and see if any learned people know of a wizard who might have one in his employ. 

The mention of a cult which gives this lich, and I hope she was just using the term metaphorically, otherwise we may be in over our heads, power is also worrisome.  Perhaps one of you who is a little better than I in talking down to the local bourgeois level might gather information on new or nefarious local cults.  I swear talking to the average human gives me a headache."